KnoWhy #362 - Why Does Zion Flourish in the Wilderness? (1 Nephi 2:2)

The Book of Mormon contains several powerful stories of righteous Saints who escaped into a wilderness environment in order to establish Zion. Among other things, these narratives meaningfully symbolize the journey of each child of God, who has left the comforts of a heavenly home and entered into the wilderness of mortality. In a wilderness environment, we become vulnerable, cut off, dependent on divine sustenance, and capable of making real and meaningful sacrifices. Under such conditions, we can be tested, tried, and ultimately sanctified.